President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has out rightly rejected Russia’s three days truce even as mass drone attack on Saturday hit targeted Russian cities , following Russia’s breach of earlier agreement thousands of times.
Local Russian officials, according to a report by lbc.co. said that apartment blocks in the Black Sea town of Novorossiysk were damaged by Ukrainian drone strikes.
Krasnodar region governor Venyamin Kondratiev said the Black Sea coast had undergone a “mass attack” by the Ukrainian military.
Five people, including two children, were injured in the Novorossiysk attack. Footage from the scene showed the scale of the damage on the apartment blocks.
A local state of emergency was declared.
Ukrainian drones were also shot down over Crimea and several other regions, Russian officials said.
Meanwhile a church near the town of Belgorod, hundreds of miles to the north, was also hit by a detonating drone, with dramatic images showing the roof of the building on fire.
It came as Ukraine rejected an offer of a three-day truce next weekend to mark the Soviet Union’s victory in the Second World War, traditionally celebrated on May 9.
Mr Zelenskyy hit out at the Russian leader, branding the offer a “performance” and rejecting the idea of a temporary peace.
He said he was ready for a truce, but for 30 days, rather than three. It comes after Putin allegedly breached his so-called Easter truce more than 3,000 times, despite committing to a pause in hostilities.
“Because in two or three days, it is impossible to develop a plan for the next steps to end the war.”
Ukraine will not be “playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin’s exit from isolation on May 9, he said.
The theoretical 72-hour ceasefire would begin on May 8 and coincide with the arrival of several world leaders in Moscow to mark VE Day.
Despite these offers of temporary ceasefires, Russia has rejected any attempt to find a lasting peace, blocking a 30-day pause in fighting proposed by the US.
Branding the 72-hour deal “unserious”, Mr Zelenskyy said any deal must be able to bring about a lasting peace.
“We cannot be responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation. They are responsible for your security, and therefore we will not give you any guarantees,” he said.
Russia hit back at Mr Zelenskyy, accusing him of risking the security of its World War Two celebrations.
The Kremlin warned Kyiv “may not survive” to May 10 if Ukraine attacks Moscow during the May 9 commemoration.
“He is threatening the physical safety of veterans who will come to parades and celebrations on the holy day,” Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said on Telegram.
“His statement … is, of course, a direct threat.” This comes after the US announced it is pulling out of formal peace talks between Ukraine and Russia as it urged both countries to come up with “concrete” proposals to end the war.
Donald Trump will no longer act as a mediator between the two countries, the State Department has confirmed. Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson, said the US is changing “the methodology of how we contribute” to talks and will stop travelling “around the world at the drop of a hat” for negotiations.
